When: Saturday, November 13, 2010, 8pm. Watch video.
Where: McGonigle Theatre at Central Catholic High School in Oakland, 4720 Fifth Avenue (near South Neville Street), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213. Directions ...
Tickets on sale now: $25 door; $20 advance; $15 groups (10 or more), students, and ticket holders to the 2010 Ligonier Highland Games or Pittsburgh Irish Festival. Reserved seats + free parking.
“Best live act.” Scots Trad Music Awards
“What the internationally renowned Irish band, the Chieftains, has done for traditional Irish music, Battlefield Band is doing for the music of Scotland.” Billboard
“Wondrous.” The Washington Post
Under their banner “Forward with Scotland’s Past,” Battlefield Band has been performing on the international scene for more than four decades, inspired by their rich heritage of Scottish traditional music and fired by the strength of Scotland’s modern cultural scene. The band pioneered the integration of bagpipes with fiddle, keyboards, guitar and voice, mixing old songs and tunes with new self-penned material.
Named after the Battlefield area of Glasgow, Battlefield Band performs throughout the world. Battlefield Band’s music is played regularly on Fiona Ritchie’s weekly public radio show The Thistle & Shamrock, and they are frequent guests on Garrison Keillor’s weekly public radio show A Prairie Home Companion.
This is the band that others measure themselves against. Over the years, new members have brought with them new ideas, new music, new instruments, attitudes and influences, leading to continued creativity, freshness and enthusiasm. After 40 years, they still lead the way for Scottish music, always involving their ever-widening audience as they travel the world.
Join them in this special do-not-miss concert as they say farewell to their founder Alan Reid and welcome their newest member Ewen Henderson. On this one-of-a-kind tour, this means there will be not four, but five musicians, with two performing on Highland bagpipes. It is especially fitting that this concert will be held at the recently renovated McGonigle Theatre concert hall of Central Catholic High School, with its new state-of the-art sound system, seats, and lighting system. It is the place that Battlefield Band first performed in Pittsburgh.
The band:
Alan Reid – keyboards, accordion, vocals
A founding member of the band, Alan does much of the group’s singing and songwriting, particularly focusing on contemporary Scottish themes. Highly regarded among his peers for the quality and depth of his songwriting, Alan has also gained recognition for his fine instrumental compositions. He was the first to use keyboards as an integral part of a traditional folk band and the depth of his melodic playing and punctuated rhythms have so defined Celtic music that his, and Battlefield Band’s, influence can be heard in the playing of so many of today's younger generation of Celtic musicians. This is Alan’s final US tour with Battlefield Band.
Mike Katz – Highland bagpipes, smallpipes, whistles, bouzouki, guitar, bass
A superb piper from an early age and a highly versatile all around musician with eclectic influences, Mike joined Battlefield Band in 1997 and has contributed massively to the music and accessibility of the group. Originally from Los Angeles, (where he played in the same pipe band as another band alumni, Eric Rigler), Mike moved to Scotland aged 18 to study at Edinburgh University and put down roots, remaining there ever since. He played in the Scottish Gas Pipe Band & Ceolbeg before joining Battlefield Band, and has earned himself a reputation on the scene and amongt his peers as a “musician’s musician” and tunesmith.
Alasdair White – fiddle, whistle, bouzouki, Highland bagpipes, smallpipes
Alasdair comes from the Isle of Lewis, one of the Gaelic speaking Outer Hebrides where music and culture remain strong daily forces. An award-winning fiddler from an early age, he was described at the time as a “13 year-old maestro of the Highland fiddle playing surging strathspeys and reels with maturity and expertise beyond his tender years.” He joined Battlefield Band at the age of 18, as complete a musician and composer as anyone had heard. Since then, still in his early twenties, he has toured the world several times over and worked on many fine albums including a highly acclaimed debut solo CD, confirming his reputation and firmly establishing himself as a unique talent and virtuoso fiddle player.
Sean O’Donnell – vocals, guitar
Sean was born in Derry, Northern Ireland and has been playing music from a young age. He is a highly accomplished guitar player and singer, and plays bass, bouzouki and cittern. He moved to Scotland in 1996, quickly becoming actively involved in the live music scene, having played with the award- winning Scots Irish band Bionic and The Emily Smith Band as well as the Michael McGoldrick Band, Deaf Shepherd, and Daimh. Sean joined Battlefield Band in 2005 and has become a keystone of the group's sound: his soulful vocals and driving rhythmic guitar adding much to the mix.
Ewen Henderson – fiddle, bagpipes, vocals, piano, whistles
The latest recruit to the group, Ewen hails from the Scottish West Highland town of Fort William, and has been naturally steeped in the traditional music, Gaelic language and culture of the area. Now in his early twenties, Ewen started learning the fiddle at the age of five, and has since mastered an impressive array of instruments, having had the privilege of being taught by many of the true masters of West Highland traditional music, while also being influenced by his strong family musical heritage. He has quickly established himself as a strong musical force within the band. This is Ewen’s first US tour with Battlefield Band.
“Riveting.” fRoots
“Wowed the full house.” Anchorage Daily News
“At the top of their game.” Zeitgeist Review
“The playing’s seriously on fire, the arrangements blaze.” NetRhythms
“Inspired fusion of ancient and modern Scottish traditional music.” Folkwords
“Exhilarating music.” The Observer (United Kingdom)
“Easily married passion, energy and joy. A fantastic musical bouquet.” La Presse de la Manche (France)
“One of the great institutions of the Scottish music scene.” BBC Music Review
“Not seen them yet? Shame on you.” Edinburgh Evening News